


Don't Feed the Dragon

by for_darkness_shows_the_stars



Series: What Comes After [17]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, But it's all in service of THE FLUFF, Druk is a GOOD BOY, Druk is basically Katara and Zuko's oldest kid, Druk loves his dumb humans so much, F/M, Family Fluff, Fire Nation Royal Family, Gen, Kya & Izumi REALLY want to ride him, My dudes this is so cute i have lost my ability to able, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, a dash of, and they love him, yet again my love for katara shines through
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27922114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_darkness_shows_the_stars/pseuds/for_darkness_shows_the_stars
Summary: “I think Druk’s getting fat.”“How could you say that?!”“Well, he wouldn’t be, if a certain Firelord didn’t feed him scraps from the dinner table constantly, in addition to his regular meals.”
Relationships: Druk & Katara (Avatar), Druk & Steambabies, Druk & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: What Comes After [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981828
Comments: 20
Kudos: 175





	Don't Feed the Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> This ... may just be the fluffiest thing I've ever written.

“I think Druk’s getting fat.”

“How could you say that?!”

“Well, he wouldn’t be, if a certain Firelord didn’t feed him scraps from the dinner table constantly, _in addition_ to his regular meals.”

“But he’s a growing boy, Katara! I can’t let him starve.”

“He’s a dragon, Zuko, not a _child_.”

“ _How could you say that?_ ”

“You’re spoiling him.”

“Of course I am! He’s our dragon, Katara, how could I not? He’s basically our oldest child.”

“I’m not arguing with that—and just for the record, if anyone told me fifteen years ago that I’d count a dragon as a part of my family, I’d have thought they were insane …”

“Likewise, but continue.”

“I’m not arguing with that—but this is for Druk’s own good.”

“It’s not like I’m the only one spoiling him! You are the girls are, too!”

“So we both stop. And we talk to the girls.”

“Fine. But _you’re_ dealing with Druk’s polar-puppy dog eyes when we don’t give him anything at dinner this evening!”

* * *

The ruling family of the Fire Nation was seated around a table laden with delicacies only people of their power and influence could afford.

Hopping excitedly around the table was a long, draconic creature the size of a gopher-dog, covered in shimmering scarlet scales. A dragon, young. Not quite big enough to ride yet, to the eternal disappointment of the twin princesses, and great relief of their parents.

Five year-olds should not be riding dragons, was the Firelord and Lady’s consensus.

The dragon thrust his long red snout near the Firelady’s elbow, whimpering pathetically. Large golden eyes traced the chunk of fried fish caught between Her Majesty’s chopsticks.

“Sorry, Druk,” said she, patting his head. “But no snacks for you today.”

After failing to chip at the Firelady’s icy resolve, the young dragon shifted his efforts towards an easier target. He tugged at the trailing sleeve of the Firelord’s casual robe, careful not to damage the precious silk with his teeth. Because that’s what Good Boys did.

And Druk was the Best Boy.

The Firelord’s gaze found Druk’s. Eyes of gold softened.

The Firelady’s eyes found her husband’s, blue as cold as the glaciers of her homeland. His Majesty exhaled a shaky breath. “Sorry, buddy, but Mama’s right. This is for your own good.”

The dragon whimpered again, heart breaking.

“Druk?” came the high voice of the bespectacled Crown Princess. Izumi’s nose was pinched with worry, the multi-coloured glass beads tying off the braid at left side of her face clinking softly against each other as she turned her head.

Druk hurried between her and Kya, being the Best Boy possible.

Kya picked up a piece of smoked salmon off her plate and made to lower it to Druk, but her mama’s stern glare caught her mid-action. She froze.

“Kiki … we talked about this,” said the Firelady, not unkindly.

“But Mama! He’s _hungry_ ,” said Her Highness gravely.

“He’s _spoilt_ ,” cut in the Firelord. “Druk has his own food, and he doesn’t need any more. Is that right, buddy?”

Druk lowered his head.

“But Papa!” Izumi said, aghast.

“Zooms,” said the Firelord, “remember a few months ago when you snuck into the kitchens and stole a tray of sweet buns?”

Her Highness’s tan cheeks darkened. But the cherry paste-filled pastries had smelled _so good_ , and—

“Do you remember what happened after, love?”

She mumbled something incomprehensible into the violet sleeve of her dress.

“I’m sorry, Zooms, I didn’t hear you,” said her papa gently. “Could you speak up?”

“I said I got sick,” replied the princess.

“It’s the same thing with Druk, my loves,” Mama told them. “We have to make sure he isn’t eating too much, so he wouldn’t get sick. You don’t want Druk to be sick, do you?”

Both girls shook their heads.

“There,” said Mama. “That’s why we have to take care of what Druk eats.”

* * *

“Druk?” came a high voice. “Druk?”

The dragon’s head rose from his resting place on the Firelady and Lord’s bed.

Crown Princess Izumi stood in the doorway, dressed in her sleep robe, glasses tacked haphazardly on her nose and hair braided away from her face into a long brown plait that fell down, over one shoulder.

There was something wrapped in a red silken cloth resting in her arms.

Carefully surveying the room, lest her parents come out of nowhere and scold her for what she was about to do, Izumi padded her way across the floor and offered the young dragon the contents of her arms.

She unwrapped the silken cloth carefully, revealing three large cherry paste-filled sweet buns. “You can’t tell Mama and Papa,” she said seriously, watching Druk devour the prize. Once he was done, he snuggled up to her.

“You have to grow big soon,” Izumi told him, “so Kiki and I can ride you.”

A few minutes later, the young princess fled, with none the wiser of what she had done.

* * *

“Mama and Papa are being disgusting in Grandma’s garden again,” Kya told Druk in a hushed whisper. “Kissing and stuff. So here. I know you’re still hungry—Mama and Papa were _so mean_ to you at dinner!”

She pulled out something out of the pocket of her sleep robe. Unwrapping the napkin, she unveiled a few pieces of smoked sausage. Eagerly, Druk’s tongue swept them all up into his mouth.

“Oh, you poor boy,” Kya sighed, running her small fingers over the dragon’s scaly neck. “You must be so hungry.”

Druk, as the Good Boy he was, nuzzled his snout into the crook of Kya’s shoulder, and provided some excellent Good Boy cuddles.

* * *

“Hey buddy,” Zuko said, allowing Druk to burrow in his lap, and scratching beneath his chin, just the way he liked. “I hope you aren’t too hungry.”

The dragon gave the dragon-equivalent of a purr.

“You know Mama only wants what’s best for you. She’s awesome like that. Always caring of others before she cares about herself.” Absently, Zuko scratched behind Druk’s ears. “She’s always been like that, even when she was a girl. You hadn’t hatched then—but you should have seen her. She kept a group of bratty kids fed and clothed for almost a year while a war raged all around us. You have no idea how grateful I am you and the girls never had to live like that. Hopefully, you never will, if Mama and I do our job right.”

Uh-oh. Melancholy was once again taking over Druk’s favourite human. He was rather prone to those. Like the Best Boy he was, Druk curved his head up and nuzzled into his favourite human’s cheek. Because everyone knew that Good Boy cuddles were _the best_ cure for melancholy.

Zuko chuckled.

“I have something for you,” he told Druk, “but you can’t tell anyone, okay? It’s going to be our little secret.” He reached into his robes and presented the young dragon with a handful of ripe summer berries. “I know it’s not much, but Katara’s right. We _have_ been spoiling you too much.”

Druk didn’t mind. He _loved_ being spoiled.

* * *

“Hey,” Katara said softly. Zuko was asleep already, curled up in their bed. But the full moon illuminated the sky, and the waterbender in her wouldn’t let her sleep.

She wondered how Kya was dealing with it. Her blue eyes and restlessness at night, when her sister slept on peacefully, all indicated a waterbender, even if neither girl has actually bent anything yet.

Druk had joined her in the garden a few minutes into her bending practice. What she was doing couldn’t be called a kata—it was far too instinctual for that, her movements honed by hard-earned mastery and years of experience.

She created shapes of water for the dragon to chase around, and he hid so excitedly, flying around with energy uncharacteristic of a son of Agni at night.

“You know I didn’t mean anything bad by it … I’m just worried about you.” She shook her head. “I’ve known you since before you hatched, you know. I remember how enraptured Papa was with your egg. It’s a firebender thing, I think. And I remember when I first saw you—you’d only just broken out of your shell, and you looked like a slimy red worm.” She chuckled. “And Papa loved you so much already, and … so did I.”

The water in the air took shape of another dragon. It danced along with Druk.

Katara was smiling softly as she manipulated it. The delicate detailing was very intricate. Pride enveloped her at the sight of it. She had come far since the days when she could barely lift a globe of water.

Finally, even Druk’s strength ran out. He was a child of the sun, after all. He lowered himself towards Katara and snuggled into her lap. Running her fingers over his scales, just the way she had discovered he liked when he was only a few months old, Katara hummed an old Water Tribe lullaby.

Large golden eyes were half-mast when Katara stopped her ministrations. “Hey Druk, you know what?”

The dragon looked up, curious.

“Why don’t we raid the kitchen, you and I?” she smiled mischievously. “It’ll be our little secret.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr.](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/stars-and-darkness)


End file.
